Death to the Feeble Masses

Australian black metal brigade Eucharist have yet to release a proper full-length. To date they have released two demos, both in 2011, entitled Tenebrous Summoningand Demise Rites. Those two demos were packaged and sold as Demise Rites in 2012 by Total Holocaust Records. Their prior work was standard black metal fare with tracks hovering between five and seven minutes. With Endarkenment, Eucharist begins anew, producing a nearly thirty-seven minute EP containing two thirteen-minute-plus tracks of bestial chaos.

Throughout the two tracks the influences of Archgoat, Void Meditation Cult and Beherit are clearly audible. Unlike Archgoat and Beherit, Eucharist provides a slow, drawn out type of terror. Diving to the deepest recesses to produce a brand of chaos that is subsumed beneath volcanos of disgust. Eucharist are driving forward, surging towards the edges of bestial metal.

Endarkenment is presented as two tracks but it’s more like two sides crammed into singular tracks. Side A includes “Evocatis Tenebrous: Darkness” parts I and II while Side B includes “Rituali Mortem: Darkness” parts III and IV. The unification of the tracks makes perfect sense as each side is a work in toto rather than two tracks just crammed together for packaging purposes.

The ebbs and flows of their particular brand of chaos is on display on Side B. Opening with a chaotic clatter, metal flows beneath choir vocals. There is even a quite impressive guitar solo to signify the end of Part III before ambient, cavernous winds and voices break up the individual parts. Eucharist then powers ahead, flying into Part IV with their typical auditory slaughter.

Eucharist is remarkably profound throughout Endarkenment. Track length doesn’t present as much of a problem to the ears as it does to the eyes. The album certainly has flow and pacing. If you’re looking for some evil, dark and torturous music Endarkenment will certainly hit the spot. Even the sort of muffled production only enhances the overall aura and tonality of the work. Endarkenment is a great comeback for a band that has been silent for nearly five years and this is hopefully the signal of more to come.